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Although it’s currently unmistakably clear that, more than
any other hardware developer has ever needed, Nintendo are the
company in the most desperate need of proving themselves once again
a dominant force in the games industry. While typically sceptical
of the Tokyo Games Show (TGS), Nintendo used the platform to the
greatest measure possible.
Still without presenting themselves on the show floor, the
show was officially kicked off by Satoru Iwata’s keynote speech,
in which the company decided it was time to bring Nintendo back
into the next-gen race – and not a moment too soon. The
Revolution was on show in it’s full glory, now minus the
“Revolution” tag-line and, low-and-behold, the controller was
finally unveiled.
"The feeling is so natural and real, as soon as players
use the controller, their minds will spin with the possibilities of
how this will change gaming as we know it today," explains
Satoru Iwata, Nintendo president. "This is an extremely
exciting innovation - one that will thrill current players and
entice new ones."
Now, I’m sure that from the images on this page, you’ve
managed to establish the fact that the controller looks far more
like an Apple designed remote control than any conventional
videogame control pad. However, this is clearly intentional, as the
features on the pad are remarkable to say the least.
The features of the controller are best explained in brief,
so as to let your imagination run wild with the
possibilities:
- Remote
control-esque design: constructed to appeal to a wide variety of
potential players.
- 3D
Pointing: Sensors understand up, down, left, right, forward and
backward.
- Tilt
Sensitive: Controller can be rotated or rolled from side-to-side.
- Buttons
Included: Has a trigger on its backside, face buttons, and a
D-Pad.
- Multifunctional:
Has an expansion port which can be used with different types of
controller peripherals. An Analogue Stick unit with two Trigger
Buttons planned for left hand out of the box, a controller
“cradle” has also been specified.
- Wireless:
Totally wire-free. Currently there are no details on the max
distance, source or power, or otherwise, but from the renditions
it’s clear the unit will probably use AA batteries.
- Rumble
Built-in. Included as standard in all the controllers.
"The
feeling is so natural and real, as soon as players use the
controller, their minds will spin with the possibilities of how
this will change gaming as we  know it today," explains Satoru
Iwata, Nintendo president. "This is an extremely exciting
innovation - one that will thrill current players and entice new
ones."
“Every
gamer who plays. Every one who used to play. Even those who have
yet to play. Nintendo is your bet.” It’s very easy to see the
possibilities of a controller that’s totally motion sensitive and
easy to use in “a way never experienced in the history of
gaming,” but the biggest question is, of course, how well will
the third-party developers receive the controller?
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